The Garden School Gets Cooking with the Edible Garden

Our on-site preschool is called the Garden School for a reason: the children spend time out on the grounds almost every day, exploring and discovering the natural world. This fall, they have been helping with the harvest in the Edible Garden, and helping others as well.

In September, the preschool students trekked over to the garden where they spied a Tromboncino squash. This variety of summer squash is a wacky, wonderful shape and can be swapped in for zucchini in pretty much any recipe. The children washed and grated their find to make delicious Crumb Cake and Morning Glory muffins, and they share a recipe below for you to try at home. As October rolled around, the children returned to the Edible Garden and harvested basil and cherry tomatoes to make pesto sauce and a lasagna. While, as one child observed, they usually eat the food they cook at school, this time they gave the lasagna to a family in need through the St. Vincent de Paul Society.

Zucchini or Tromboncino Crumb Cake

Crumb Topping:

½ cup all-purpose flour

½ cup packed dark brown sugar

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

¼ cup melted butter

Cake:

1 ½ cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon cinnamon

¼ teaspoon nutmeg

½ cup melted butter

1/3 cup packed dark brown sugar

1/3 cup granulated sugar

1 large egg

2 teaspoons vanilla

1 overflowing cup of shredded zucchini

Powdered sugar – sifted (optional for topping)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Grease an 8 or 9-inch square pan (we used a 9” x 13” pan, which made the crumb cake thinner).
Line with parchment paper.

Make the crumb topping:
With a fork, mix the flour, brown sugar and cinnamon together. Mix in the melted butter. Set aside.

Make the cake:
Add the dry ingredients into a 2-cup measuring cup. Mix gently.

In a large bowl, whisk the butter, both sugars, egg, & vanilla. Add zucchini. Gently mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and mix until combined. The batter will be thick.

Pour/Spread into the prepared pan, then sprinkle the crumb topping evenly on top.
Bake for 35-38 minutes (less if you used a 9”x13” pan) or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out mostly clean with no wet batter. A few moist crumbs are ok! If you find the top of the cake is browning too quickly, loosely cover with aluminum foil. Remove the cake from the oven and onto a wire rack.

Allow to cool slightly before slicing.
Sprinkle with sifted powdered sugar, if desired.